Handle for fishing rods



Oct. 24, 1939. s'r 2,177,064

- HANDLE FOR FISHING RODS Filed May 31, 1938 52: I206 l wy Ji. 7&2752865 Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE HANDLE FOR FISHING ROD'S corporation of Illinois Application May 31, 1938, Serial No. 210,864

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in handles particularly adapted though not necessarily limited in use for fishing rods, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an im- 5 proved handle which when employed with fishing rods will more comfortably fit the hand of the user and render it possible to maintain the hand in natural position while casting.

A further object is to provide an improved handle which will maintain the hand in a substantially straight line with the fore arm to insure proper, and promote accuracy in, casting, and will at all times substantially fill the hand and prevent rolling or twisting of the rod or handle in the hand.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the handle may be rotatably adjusted with respect to the rod and maintained in such adjusted position to obtain different angularities thereof with respect to the rod, adapting the handle to the different angularities of the hands of the various users.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fishing rod handle constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 3.

' Figure 3 is a righthand end elevation of Fig ure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the handle showing in dotted lines the handle in an adjusted position with respect to the rod.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a detail of the handle.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the handle consists essentially of a grip portion l0 constructed of any desired or suitable material and of a greater width than thickness, the width of the body portion beginning at the plane of its greatest cross-sectional diameter indicated by the dotted line H gradually decreasing from the adjacent end of the body to the other end 12.

One of the lateral walls 13 is substantially straight throughout its length, being preferably shaped to form a slight curve extending lengthwise thereof. The opposite lateral edge is concaved as at 14 and arranged within the grip or body portion is a tubular member 15 which extends through the body. This tubular member 15 is secured in position in any suitable manner and a portion thereof is preferably flanged as at It to engage and rest upon the adjacent face of the end of the grip or body portion Hi. This flange 16 may be of any desired diameter and is preferably corrugated or serrated as at ll.

The tubular member 55 constitutes a bearing for the end 18 of the portion l9 of the handle and both the tubular bearing 55 and the end l8 may be of any desired size in cross-section.

This tubular member or bearing 55 is arranged in closer proximity to the lateral edge l3 of the griplfl than it is to the edge M so that the major portion of the grip ill will be disposed on the side of the longitudinal axis of the grip opposite the side on which the edge i3 is disposed, with the result that the grip will not only be shaped to substantially fill the hand of the user but also to fit the hand in such a manner that during casting the user will be enabled to hold the rod in the proper position to insure accuracy. With this construction of grip the hand of the user will also be maintained in its natural position and in a straight line with the fore arm.

The grip is secured to the portion ill of the handle in any suitable manner and so as to permit the grip to be rotated axially with respect to the portion l8 according to the desire of the user.

This may be accomplished in any suitable manner but preferably by means of a screw 23 having a head 2 I. The shank of the screw is threaded into a socket 22 in the end of the portion 18 of the handle, while the head 21 rests against the outer surface of the grip.

Carried by the portion IQ of the handle is a projection 23 which is adapted to enter and be seated in the corrugations or serrations in the flange 16 of the tubular member 15.

The head 21 of the screw 20 engaging the end of the tubular member 15 will cause the projection 23 to be seated in one of the grooves or serrations l'! in the flange I6 and this will lock the grip Ill against rotative movement with respect to the portion 18 of the handle.

When it is desired to rotatably adjust the grip 14 with respect to the portion l8 of the handle the screw 2| may be loosened sufficiently to permit the projection 23 to be unseated from the groove or serration I! so as to rotate the grip l0, after which the screw 20 is adjusted to again lock these parts against relative or rotative adjustment.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that the grip will be actually shaped to fit or fill the hand, with the result that the hand will more comfortably grasp the handle while the hand is maintained in its proper or natural position, even during the casting or rocking movement of the rod with respect to the hand.

By the provision of the means for rotatably adjusting the grip it will be manifest that this part may be positioned to suit the user and at the same time result in the rod being held in its proper position with respect to the forearm of the user.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination a fishing rod or the like, a handle separate from and sleeved upon the rod, said handle being irregular in cross-section, said handle adapted for rotatable adjustment upon the rod on an axis extending in the same general direction as the axis of the rod, and means for securing the handle in any of its adjusted positions, the said means embodying interengaging portions between the rod and handle and which portions are movable into and out of engagement with each other.

2. In combination a handle irregular in crosssection, a sleeve extending lengthwise 0f the handle, a rod projecting into the sleeve, interengaging means on the rod and sleeve for maintaining them against relative rotation, said means being movable out of engagement to permit such relative rotation, and means for maintaining such interengaging means against separation.

3. In combination a handle irregular in crosssection, a sleeve extending lengthwise of the handle, a rod projecting into the sleeve, interengaging means on the rod and sleeve for maintaining them against relative rotation, said means being movable out of engagement to permit such relative rotation, and means for maintaining such interengaging means against separation, the said sleeve extending along the longitudinal axis of the handle and being disposed in closer proximity to one of the lateral edges of the handle than to the opposite lateral edge thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a hand grip for handles for fishing rods or the like embodying a body portion of greater width than thickness,

' the width of the body beginning at the plane of its greatest cross-sectional diameterf gradually decreasing from one end to the other end of the body, and a rod seat opening through one end of the handle and extending in a direction length- Wise of the handle, said seat being in closer proximity to one of the lateral edges of the handle than to the opposite lateral edge thereof, the extremities of said handle being substantially parallel, the greatest width of the handle being disposed between and spaced from the said extremities of the handle but in closer proximity to one extremity than the other extremity.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hand grip for fishing rods and the like embodying a body portion of greater width than thickness, the width of the body beginning at substantially the plane of its greatest cross-sectional diameter gradually decreasing from one end to the other end of the body, one of the lateral edges of the body being substantially straight and the opposite lateral edge being concaved, and a rod seat opening through one end of the handle, said seat being in closer proximity to the said straight edge than to the concaved edge whereby the major portion of the body will be on the concaved edge side thereof, the extremities of the handle being substantially parallel, the greatest width of the handle being disposed between and spaced from the extremities of the handle, but in closer proximity to one extremity than the other extremity.

6. In combination, a fishing rod or the like, ax"

handle separate from the rod, said handle being of greater width than thickness, the greatest width being adjacent one end of the handle and said handle tapering from the last said end towards the other end, means mounting the handle spect to the rod to accommodate the hand of the:

user and to position the rod with respect to the natural position of the users hand while gripping the handle, and means for securing the handle in any of its adjusted positions.

7. In combination, a fishing rod or the like, a

handle separate from and sleeved upon the rod, said handle being irregular in cross-section and of a greater width adjacent one end and tapering toward the other end and being adapted for rotatable adjustment upon the rod on an axis extending in the same general direction as the axis of the rod, adapting said handle to be positioned with respect to the rod to accommodate the natural position of the users hand in gripping the handle, and means for securing the handle in any of its adjusted positions.

HARRY H. HARSI'ED. 

